Advocacy
ASBMB statement on the president's FY2027 budget proposal
April 6, 2026
On Friday, April 3, President Trump released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27). Once again, the Administration has proposed significant cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. ASBMB has grave concerns about this request and calls on Congress to reject it. If enacted, these cuts will severely erode American scientific competitiveness and the biomedical research enterprise at a time when research is delivering major advances driven by basic research.
While this proposal is less drastic than last year's, the research community is still reeling from the disruptions caused by last year’s seismic policy changes and abrupt funding cuts. Thanks to strong bipartisan support, Congress rejected the administration’s FY26 budget request and avoided a funding catastrophe that would have been irreversible. Even so, the FY26 funding that Congress ultimately appropriated took nearly two months to reach NIH, significantly delaying the issuance of awards.
It cannot be overstated that sustained budget and programmatic cuts will undermine America's global scientific leadership, damage local economies, and stall the vital U.S. innovation agenda. The president’s proposal dramatically reduces NIH funding by roughly $6 billion or 12%, undermining progress on innovative research to develop treatments and cures for patients nationwide, diminishing our already narrowing global leadership in medical research, and eliminating opportunities for top talent to pursue careers in making the next generation of groundbreaking discoveries. Just as importantly, such a proposal directly contradicts the expectations of Americans nationwide, with recent polls showing that 7 in 10 people support increased funding for research.
In parallel, the administration's proposed 54% cut to NSF's budget would severely weaken our nation's ability to generate new fundamental knowledge and the scientific breakthroughs that have served as the foundation for entire industries, from biotech to information technology to artificial intelligence. NSF also plays a critical role in developing STEM talent through direct support to the next generation of scientists, engineers and technicians. A cut of this magnitude would cripple the pipeline of future researchers.
Here is a look at the proposed cuts to the NIH, NSF and DOE:
- NIH is cut by $6 billion or 12.3% for a total of $41 billion and eliminates the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Fogarty International Center, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
- NSF is cut by $4.8 billion or 54.7% for a total of $4 billion.
- DOE Office of Science is cut by $1 billion or 13% for a total of $7.4 billion.
ASBMB calls on Congress to reject these proposed cuts and policy changes at U.S. science agencies, and to reaffirm our long-standing national commitment to biomedical research, American health, and U.S. leadership in innovation. We will continue to monitor developments closely and keep you informed as this process unfolds. As always, your engagement with policymakers remains critically important; for more information on how you can effectively do so, please refer to the ASBMB Advocacy page.